phrygian mode
Preserved but no longer current.
In music, the second of the "authentic" ecclesiastical modes. It had its "final" on E and its "dominant" on C, and was derived from the ancient Greek mode of this name, which was warlike. It was used for hymns and anthems.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “phrygian mode” mean?
In music, the second of the "authentic" ecclesiastical modes. It had its "final" on E and its "dominant" on C, and was derived from the ancient Greek mode of this name, which was warlike. It was used for hymns and anthems.
Is “phrygian mode” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.